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By and large hobgoblins, like their kin, are considered evil creatures and often meet this expectation. While Goblinoid society is cruel and harsh, some individuals escape it to carry on lives of virtue, though fewer such individuals are hobgoblins than true goblins. Those few who do take this risk and succeed often meet cautious praise and acceptance from outsiders.[7]

Those that do are, however, continuously plagued by their nature. Though hobgoblins are not necessarily evil they are prone to violence and hot tempers and find it difficult to be truly altruistic. When provoked, which is often easy, hobgoblins are vindictive creatures who take glee in causing pain to those that injured them. Those hobgoblins who overcome this nature often do so because of the rewards they find in serving good, rather than evil.[7]

Hobgoblins are rarely found in communities where they are not in command of either goblins or bugbears, or sometimes both, and the most civilized goblinoid communities are ruled by the race. This is in large part because hobgoblin society is more industrious and less savage than that of goblins or bugbears.[6] Though sometimes bugbears take control, most such communities are ruled over by the strongest hobgoblin, who serves as the warchief.[8]

Hobgoblins have a long tradition of mastering and breeding the creatures of the world into slaves of various sorts. Many, for instance, like working with wolves or worgs. Similarly, many drake breeds were first bred by hobgoblins. Some even believe hobgoblins carried this practice on within their own race, creating the goblins and bugbears in such a manner.[6]

Hobgoblins are immensely protective of their tribe's reputation and military status, so much so that meetings between different groups can turn violent if proper protocol is not followed. However, though hobgoblin tribes are territorial and egotistical in nature they will often unite for a common purpose, such as war against non-goblinoids.[8]

Maglubiyet, the god of war and rulership, is the chief deity of hobgoblins. However, Nomog-Geaya, the deity of war and authority, is considered their patron deity. Since the Spellplague, Maglubiyet has been an exarch of Bane.[9]

Hobgoblins are warriors by nature and prefer martial combatants to those who draw on magic. Those few spellcasters who are to be found are expected to work well with soldiers.[8]